On Jul 14, 1:54?pm, Mark Lipton > wrote:
> Ed Rasimus wrote:
> > Until about a year ago I never recall a conscious awareness of dill
> > notes in a wine. They might have been there, but certainly not in very
> > obvious concentration.
>
> > Now, in the last year it seems that I'm increasingly getting dill both
> > in aroma and taste in red wines, usually cabernet sauvignon or cab
> > blends. I first really became aware of it in some Becker Vineyards
> > wines (Rockwall TX) both cab and cab blend.
>
> Ed,
> I too have read descriptions of dill found in wines. What I've noted
> is an association with the use of new (possibly American) oak. That
> would certainly fit Ridge, since they use American oak cooperage, but I
> can't say whether any of the other cases might be attributable to that.
>
> Mark Lipton
> --
> alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com

I've found dill from time to time in California and Aussie wines in
particular. I recently drank a bottle of Wolf Blass Black Label 1994
that was loaded with dill. I noted that they used both French and
American oak but I've always attributed the dill to the American oak
which I find to be a bit more "sour" than French oak. If you've ever
smelled an untoasted barrel of American oak you would note the "sour"
smell that I'm reffering to.